Last updated October 2026
Oriental Bay is Wellington’s best-known city beach, a curve of sand and heritage seawall along Oriental Parade, about 1.5 km from the city centre. Away from the swimming beaches, anglers fish from the seawall, where the bottom drops to about eight metres just ten metres out.
Small kahawai patrol the drop-off, and in summer kingfish follow them in, some of them very big fish. Locals target them by slide-baiting a live kahawai or jack mackerel. It is free and on the number 24 bus route, but on hot summer days the bay belongs to swimmers, so pick your time.
Oriental Bay at a Glance
- Location
- Oriental Parade seawall, between the Band Rotunda and Carlton Gore Road, towards Point Jerningham
- Water
- Inner Wellington Harbour (sea)
- Depth
- About 8 m, 10 m from the wall, over sand and mud; rocks and weed close in
- Main species
- Kingfish in summer; kahawai; barracouta
- Method
- Slide-baiting live kahawai or jack mackerel for kingfish
- Getting there
- Metlink bus 24 along Oriental Parade; angle parking on the Parade
- Toilets
- Freyberg Pool and Fitness Centre, at the city end
- Tide port
- Wellington (LINZ standard port)
- Rules
- MPI Central fishing area; no licence needed for sea fishing
- Cost
- Free
- High 2:49 am 1.7 m
- Low 9:07 am 0.6 m
- High 3:17 pm 1.7 m
- Low 9:26 pm 0.7 m
Best times today: around 2:49 am, 9:07 am, 3:17 pm and 9:26 pm (2 hours either side of each tide change), and around 10:29 am and 10:51 pm (moon overhead and underfoot).
Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes best. Full 7-day Wellington tides ›
Predictions only; actual tides vary with weather.
The Background
The bay sits on the northern slope of Mt Victoria, looking across Te Whanganui-a-Tara to the city and the Hutt Valley. It was first called Duppa Bay and was renamed after the ship Oriental in 1843. The 1855 earthquake lifted this shore, and the seawall that anglers fish from today was built between 1922 and 1930 and is heritage listed.
In the early 2000s the council built three beaches between Freyberg Pool and the Band Rotunda, using sand brought from Golden Bay, with a concrete headland, large rocks and a submerged reef to hold the sand in place. That is why the fishing is along the sand-free seawall east of the rotunda, not off the beaches.
Kingfish have been chased off this wall since the 1950s. A 2017 NZ Fishing News feature described exceptional summer fishing along a few hundred metres of the Oriental Bay seawall, with fish from a few kilos to over 20 kg.
Oriental Bay is also the city’s busiest beach. Swimmers use the beaches and a pontoon, kayakers paddle the bay, and the floodlit Carter Fountain plays 150 m offshore. The Band Rotunda is closed while it is redeveloped.
How to Fish Oriental Bay
Where and when
Fish the seawall rather than the swimming beaches, keeping well away from swimmers. There is a good drop-off into about eight metres of water just ten metres from the wall, with a sand and mud bottom, and baitfish such as kahawai patrol it.
Kingfish come in over the summer months. In Wellington Harbour a cast of 40 to 50 metres is a proven distance for hooking up.
What to catch and what to use
- Kingfish: slide-bait a live kahawai or jack mackerel. Hook the bait through the shoulder just in front of the dorsal fin, and check it about every 30 minutes. Poppers and stickbaits are another option. Release fish you do not need.
- Kahawai: small kahawai, often around 400 to 600 g, live along the drop-off and make the best live bait here. Some days they are hard to catch.
- Barracouta: will also take live jack mackerel on the kingfish rig.
The slide-bait rig
Use a 2.4 to 3 m rod rated at least 10 to 15 kg and a reel holding about 200 m of 15 kg line.
Cast out a 5 oz breakaway grapnel sinker on a lighter sinker trace about a metre long, then slide the live bait down the main line on a slider with a 1 m trace of 40 to 50 kg.
A longer rod helps keep the line up off the rocks and weed close in. Slide-baiting is also a considerate way to fish when other anglers are close by. Keep live baits in an aerated bucket.
Getting There and Facilities
- Bus: Metlink route 24 runs the length of Oriental Parade, with stops at Freyberg Pool, the Oriental Bay Rotunda and Carlton Gore Road. It runs about hourly on Sundays.
- Walking: about 1.5 km from the city centre along the waterfront past Te Papa.
- Parking: angle parking along Oriental Parade, a car park beside Freyberg Pool, and pay-and-display parking at Clyde Quay Boat Harbour. Check the signs for charges and time limits.
- Toilets: Freyberg Pool and Fitness Centre has toilets, changing rooms and cold showers.
- Dogs: from 1 November to 30 April dogs are banned from most of the beach, and east of the rotunda they may be off-leash only from 7pm to 10am. From 1 May to 31 October dogs may be off-leash at any time.
- Marinas: Clyde Quay Boat Harbour and Chaffers Marina are working marinas. Fish the public seawall rather than inside the marinas, obey any signs and keep clear of berthed boats.
- Nearby: for more city shore fishing, see our Greta Point fishing guide in Evans Bay.
Rules and Safety
- Sea fishing here follows MPI’s Central area rules. No licence is needed. Check the MPI page or the NZ Fishing Rules app for current limits.
- No marine reserve, closure, rāhui or mātaitai covers Wellington Harbour on MPI’s Central list (checked October 2026).
- Wastewater overflows have affected the bay. In May 2025 a pump station overflow near Clyde Quay Wharf led LAWA to mark Freyberg Beach unsuitable for swimming. Check LAWA before swimming or gathering shellfish, and avoid shellfish for a few days after heavy rain.
- Never cast near swimmers or kayakers. On fine summer days, fish early or late, when the beaches are quiet.
- The beach is not patrolled. Watch for rocks and weed at the base of the wall and a sudden drop into deep water close in.
Tackle and Bait Nearby
- Pete Lamb Fishing, 15 Kingsford Smith Street, Rongotai: tackle, bait and local advice; the shop lists Oriental Bay among its recommended shore spots.
Where to Learn More
MPI Central fishing rules: current limits and closures for the Wellington area.
NZ Fishing News: Slide-baiting for kingfish: the 2017 feature on kingfish off the Oriental Bay seawall.
LAWA: Oriental Bay at Freyberg Beach: water quality and wastewater warnings for the bay.
Common Questions
Where do people fish at Oriental Bay?
From the seawall along Oriental Parade, mainly the stretch east of the Band Rotunda towards Point Jerningham, away from the swimming beaches.
What can you catch at Oriental Bay?
Kingfish in summer, kahawai along the drop-off, and barracouta on live baits.
How do you catch kingfish off the seawall?
Locals slide-bait a live kahawai or jack mackerel down to a breakaway grapnel sinker cast 40 to 50 metres out.
Do I need a fishing licence?
No. Sea fishing needs no licence, but MPI’s Central area rules apply.
Can I fish in Clyde Quay Boat Harbour or Chaffers Marina?
They are working marinas, so fish the public seawall instead and obey any signs.
Can I bring my dog?
From 1 November to 30 April dogs are banned from most of the beach and allowed east of the rotunda only from 7pm to 10am. In winter they can be off-leash.
How do I get there by bus?
Take Metlink route 24, which runs along Oriental Parade, or walk about 1.5 km from the city centre.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 1
- Tides today: Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ).